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Hi all,
I am a recent graduate of a two year computer engineering program (3.98 GPA). My intentions are to take the MSDN exam 70-016 then look for a job. I have not held a programming job.
What are the chances of landing a coding job in the New England (USA)area? What types of positions might these be?
I really really really do not want a tech support position!! Should I take one anyway to get my foot in the door?
Thanks for all responses
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Hi, Paul. Congrats on your graduation. I'm in Virginia so can't speak for the New England job market but can offer some general comments.
Most employers seem to want a bachelor's degrees (4 years) for programming positions. That's true for job postings I've seen from just about everywhere in the U.S. Here in Virginia, near Washington DC, many employers ask for Master's degrees. I have seen companies that only require a 2 year degree for web development positions. If you're interested in that you'll need either ASP, Flash, or Cold Fusion skills.
Don't take a tech support position unless you get really desperate. I haven't seen them lead to programming jobs very often. It would be better if you can join a company as an entry-level programmer and then work your way up. You might even consider doing a low-pay or no-pay internship to gain some documentable experience.
Good luck!
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I'd concur with the warning about tech support. I've worked my way up the tech support ladder from the help desk to system engineer, working at several companies, and at no time has my programming skill been of any real use to me... except of course when working with programmers on a problem.
It's a whole different path, and usually attracts a whole different kind of person. 
Stick to your guns, maybe you'll have to start out as a junior programmer, but you'll get there without having to install Office on thousand computers.
what if the hokey pokey really IS what it's all about?
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Paul -- I think it really depends on what you mean about "coding work?" What types of apps do you want to develop? What programming tools/languages do you want to use to develop these products?
I am co-authoring the Codeproject.com's new Career Column, Career 2.0, which launches July 29. I'm not a developer (yet!) but have a lot of experience recruiting for Compaq, EMC, and Microsoft -- among others.
In this market, corporate recruiters usually prefer 4 year degrees -- but so what? It just means you need to bypass companies' recruiting departments, and directly contact hiring managers.
Many hiring managers want people who have the skills necessary to successfully do the work/job, but are usually less specific as to where and how you developed those skills. Bill Gates doesn't have a 4 year college degree  .
Do you have any code that you've written that you could demo to future employers? Can it run as a web app that a hiring manager could easily access from an html email that you would send him/her? If not, start writing now!
The first Career 2.0 article is focusing on how to do this -- so please be sure to check it out on the 29th --
Hope this helps -- and please ping me after the article posts if it doesn't answer all of your questions --
Andi
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We're currently exploring our options in relation to source control, version control, and deployment. We are primarily web development, but are getting into some application development as well. I've used VSS before in a web environment and I was not impressed (this can be strictly because of the way it was implemented, so take it for what it's worth).
Basically, we had a VSS database on our shared development server. Then, we would each do development on our own workstation. When we checked a file in, it would be in the VSS database. Next time someone went to work on the project, they would download all the changed files to their workstation.
There were some major flaws in this process in my mind: each workstation HAD to be configured identically in terms of directory structure, IIS settings, web process within IIS, etc. One of the BIGGEST problems I saw was that each user had to create a web process in their own local IIS AND everytime a new COM object was built/changed, we would have to ensure all developers unregistered the old object and registered the new one. Granted, this can all be accomplished with some batch files or scrpts, but that just seems like it shouldn't be necessary.
Ideally, I'd like to have a single web process on a development server that we can develop against, but have some sort of source & version control & collaboration built in. There must be a better way... and I'm sure someone has done it. The trick is we want the same VSS solution to work for desktop app/client-server development (not the one development server... but just use a single source control).
Your input would be greatly appreciated.
-AC
Andrew Connell
IM on MSN
andrew@aconnell.com
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Hi CPians
I'v seen the MCAD and MCSD courses but all the courses are offered in C# and VB.NET.
Plz! tell me if it is possible to do MCAD n MCSD in VC++ ot plz give me any links
thanks
Faraz Ahmed Siddiqui
Software Engineer
KalSoft (Pvt) Ltd. Karachi Pakistan
www.kalsoft.com.pk
UAN:+92(021)111-40-30-20
faraz@kalsoft.com.pk
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Nope, sorry.
Maybe if enough people complain to Microsoft, they will come out with managed C++.NET tests equivalent to the VB.NET and C#.NET tests. Until then, if you want VC++, stick with the current MSDN.
Roger Stewart
"I Owe, I Owe, it's off to work I go..."
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Hi Guys,
I need some advice on how to get a job. I currently live in the Los Angeles, CA, USA area and haven't been able to find a job since March 2002 since I graduated from UCLA (BS in Computer Science and Engineering). Ever since them, I've been receiving a total of 4 interviews (this is a total of 3 months  ), 2 from campus recruitment and 2 from responses to Monster.com job postings. Though, I haven't landed any of those jobs. I'm not really sure what I'm doing wrong except that my graduation occurred during a recession. Is there anything I could do to even improve the chance of a employer to call me for an interview. A resume is available at this site. All critiques (even the harsh ones) are welcomed.
Sincerely,
Frank
Frank@Frank-L.com
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If I were a hiring manager, I'd help out a fellow Bruin. Alas, your situation sounds just like mine. I had barely a nibble from August 2001 until March 2002. In fact, the freelance work I had in that time came from people who saw my work on CP, recruiters and resume sites weren't getting me anywhere.
One thing I'd suggest changing on your resumé is to move Work History as close to the top as possible. That's what managers care about most. As it is now, Work History is buried after a ton of buzzwords. Managers want to know that you've actually used C++/Java/whatever language.
--Mike--
Just released - RightClick-Encrypt - Adds fast & easy file encryption to Explorer
Like the Google toolbar? Then check out UltraBar, with more features & customizable search engines!
My really out-of-date homepage
Sonork - 100.10414 AcidHelm
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Your situation is not as bad as mine. I took a break after community college thinking i could land a job and continue going to school. Well need less to say it's been 2yrs no job no school, just got 2yrs older. Even silly Ms-office stuff requires a phd and 10yrs experience these days.I'll advice that u don't pick and choose jobs, or u'll be in deep sh#t.
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What about changing your skill section into a table with the following columns:
1. skill
2. years experience
3. rating (out of 5)
Cheers,
Simon
"Every good work of software starts by scratching a developer's personal itch.", Eric S. Raymond
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Frank Liao wrote:
I've been receiving a total of 4 interviews (this is a total of 3 months ), 2 from campus recruitment and 2 from responses to Monster.com job postings. Though, I haven't landed any of those jobs.
What I would do is network. Sending Resumes and applying for jobs is not effective unless there is a boom in the economy.
I would go golfing and talk to owners and managers of companies and discuss in casual conversation the benefits of impoving their buisness using custom programs, go to schools and build them a free product and maybe they will get you on the local news.
Most people don't realize how many oppertunities there are if you look in unconventianally places.
After a poor performance in London in 1899, Steinitz went insane and died a year later on August 12, 1900 at Wards Island, N.Y.
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Frank,
the comment about experience near the top of the resume is good.
One other thing worth mentioning is any projects, either at university or elsewhere (including home) that you have done or been invlolved in. Membership of a team project indicates your ability to work with others.
Good luck
TrollSlaer (at work) ![Rose | [Rose]](https://www.codeproject.com/script/Forums/Images/rose.gif)
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Frank,
the comment about experience near the top of the resume is good.
One other thing worth mentioning is any projects, either at university or elsewhere (including home) that you have done or been invlolved in. Membership of a team project indicates your ability to work with others.
Good luck
TrollSlayer (at work)
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With all the crap that ppl put on their CVs, I just wanted to know CPians put a list of relevant conferences they've attended on theirs.
Things like tech-ed, devdays, etc...
Cheers,
Simon
"Every good work of software starts by scratching a developer's personal itch.", Eric S. Raymond
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No I don't. Never even considered the possiblity. Thinking about it, I'm not sure it is any more relevant than putting down a list of books you've read.
Now if you were a speaker at one of the conferences then that would certainly be something to put down.
Michael
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Cool, thanks for the response.
Cheers,
Simon
"Every good work of software starts by scratching a developer's personal itch.", Eric S. Raymond
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I'm working a program on ado.In it i use a DataGrid control
.After my recordset changed,my datagrid control update data.But the number of column is not changed at all.I don't know how to add column to DataGrid.Help me Please.
(In my sql,I select 5 fields,Only the first 2 fields will be display) 
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You should ask this in a programming forum (either VC or VB, SQL etc.)
Best regards,
Alexandru Savescu
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I was wondering if someone can point me to a site with resume creation instructions. I basically want to know what format should the resume look like, what information should I present, etc... Personal knowledge welcomed.
Moved to correct forum
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search for "resume sample" or go to www.monster.com, there are many sites talking about resume building. Good luck!
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hey folks!
i have been working for two years now since i finshed my b.sc. in comp sci up here in toronto...in these two years i have switched jobs 2x and am thinking of switching again in a few months...i spent 6 months doing html + cold fusion + sql server at one web shop, quit to work closer to home and did 8 more months of html + cold fusion + sql at another web shop...then quit there and have been doing mfc + opengl for the last 11 months cause i wanted more of a challenge...i still miss web and want to get into c#/.net (which i've never worked with) or java (which i've taken courses in but never used at a job) and get back into SQL and and I want do more work with clients...oh yeah, and i want more $$$$...am i crazy??? am i greedy??? i guess my real question is when is the best time to leave this place so that i can say i have enough experience to consider myself semi-senior and get more $$$...i suppose another good question is how much am i worth anyways??? i feel like a lost sheep. sorry if this seems wack.
Mandy
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Nowdays employers want to see that a devloper can hold down a position for a decent (>1 year) amount of time instead of being the fly-by-nighters that predominated a couple of years ago. Searching for and hiring employees is an expensive and time consuming task and employers want to ensure that they do it as infrequently as possible.
My personal feeling is that .NET (in terms of Web development) has a HUGE future. If you want to try C# and love web stuff then look for ASP.NET related stuff.
Otherwise if you're still in Toronto and want to work for as many CodeProject T-shirts as you can wear then send me an email (I'm guessing you'd rather pay the rent though...)
cheers,
Chris Maunder
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